Hydraulic lift and dumping device



Dec. 18, 1951 E C SMALL HYDRAULIC LIFT AND DUMPING DEVICE Filed May 12, 194'? 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 n MMWw'W//f MMM/MM INVENTOR. [/mer C. 5m0// ATTORN EYS.

Dec. 18, 1951 E, C, SMALL HYDRAULIC LIFT AND DUMPING DEVICE Fila May 12. 1947 2 SHEETS-lSI-IEET 2 lNvENToR. l /mer C. Smc# oRNEYs.

Patented Dec. 18, 1951 HYDRAULIC LIFT AND DUMPING DEVICE Elmer C. Small, Neodesha, Kans., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Archer-Daniels Midland Company, a corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1947, Serial No. 747,535

(cl. en -49) 3 Claims.

This invention has to do with structure for raising a trailer or the like to va tipped position where the contents thereof are dumped upon a suitable conveyor to an ultimate point of discharge.

The primary object of vthis invention is the provision of a lifting and dumping device having a platform rotatably mounted upon the uppermost end of a vertically reciprocable standard which platform is also hingedly secured to said standard to the end that as the platform is raised with the vehicle to be dumped thereon, a tipping action automatically takes place in the platform and the vehicle.

The most important object of this invention is to provide a lifting and dumping device having a vertical standard hydraulically or otherwise shiftable to and from a raised position and a platform rotatably mounted upon the standard all for the purpose of providing simple and easy means for aligning the vehicle to be dumped with a conveyor or the like for receiving material from such vehicle.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a lifting and dumping device having a pair of spaced-apart tracks adjacent the aforesaid conveyor means for receiving a pair of wheels on one end of the platform to support said one end of the platform as the same is raised to a tipped position by the aforesaid standard.

Other objects of this invention lie in the specific manner of forming the bolster assembly which is rotatably mounted upon Vthe standard, the way in which the frame-work of the platform is pivotally secured to the bolster assembly for swinging movement on a horizontal axis through the standard and the manner in which the above mentioned tracks and wheels cooperate with the assembly in rendering the tipping action of the device entirely automatic.

Other objects of this invention will be made clear or become apparent during the courseof the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a hydraulic lift and dumping device made in .accordance with my present invention showing the same in both operative and inoperative positions.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal crosssectional view through the assembly taken on line III- III of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on line IV--IV of Fig. 3.

For convenience in dumping and conveying grains or other material, the apparatus about to be described is mounted within a pit generally designated by the numeral I0 and as clearly illus'- trated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Extending upwardlyfrom the bottom of this pit I0 is a vertical Ystandard I2 reciprocable through a vertical path of travel by hydraulic or other lifting means not shown and of conventional character.

A bolster assembly broadly designated by the numeral I4 is rotatably carried by the standard I2 and includes a plate I6 which rests flatly upon the upper-most end of standard I2 and a ring I8 underlying plate I6 and pivotally circumscribing the standard I2.

Also secured to the plate I'6 as well as to the ring I8 is a frame 20 which includes a pair of members 22 disposed adjacent the longitudinal edges of the plate I6. A platform 24 includes a pair of elongated panels 26 held in spacedapart relationship and substantially parallel to each other through the medium of a frame which includes a pair of spaced-apart frame members 28 and suitable cross-brace 30. The distance between the frame 28 of the platform 24 is slightly greater than the distance between the members 22 of the bolster assembly I 4. This bolster assembly I4 is interposed between the members 23 as illustrated in Fig. 4 and the entire platform 24 is swngably secured to the assembly I6 through the medium of a pair of bolts or the like 3.2. These bolts 32 pass through the proximal faces of members 28 and 22 of platform 24 and bolster assembly I6 respectively.

Bearings 34 are welded or otherwise secured to the innermost faces of the members y22 to receive the respective bolts 32 and a nut 36 is threaded upon each of the bolts 32 all as clearly illustrated` in Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 of the drawings illustrates the manner in which the platform 24 is releasably located against tilting movement with respect to bolster assembly I6. This locking means comprisesa latch 38.swingably secured to the bolster assembly I6 through the medium of the bolt or the v like 40 passing through a bearing 42 secured to 3 38 against swinging movement on the bolt 40. Removal of the key 48 from within openings 50 and 52 permits swinging of the latch 38 to and from a position overlying the projection 44.

Mounted within the pit I near one end thereof and substantially on a level with the surface of the ground is a pair of vtracks 54. These tracks 54 are in spaced and substantiallyparallel relationship and also parallel with the platform 24 when the same is in the full-line position shown in Fig. 2. One end of the platform 24 carries a pair of rollers 5S which are spaced apart substantially the same distance as the spacing between the tracks 54. A conveyor 58 extends from within the pit I8 at a point underlying the tracks 54 to a point not shown where the grain to be dumped is conveyed.

In operation, the platform 24 is swung manually through the medium of its pivotal connection with its standard I2 to the dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It is notable that in this position the longitudinal axis of platform 24 issubstantialy perpendicular to the conveyor 58. When the platform 24 is in this position, the trailer 68 may be easily pulled upon the platform 24 obviating the necessity of backing trailer 60 into a position in alignment with platform 24 as is the usual practice. The trailer G8 is then disconnected from its towing means and the standard I2 is raised to thereby raise platform 24 to a height where the same clears side panels 62 serving as a hopper for receiving material 64 from trailer 60. During raising operation of the platform 24 and the trailer 50 carried thereby, the latch 38 is in the locked position overlying projection 44 to prevent tipping of platform 24 with respect to bolster assembly I4.

When the trailer 68 is placed upon the platform 24, it is positioned in off-center relationship `with respect to standard I2. In other Words theheaviest portion of trailer 60 is disposed nearer the end of platform 24 having pulley wheels 56 thereon. Any suitable means (not shown) may be utilized to secure the trailer B8 upon the platform 24 and since trailer 60 is so positioned in offset relationship to platform 24,'there will be no tendency of tipping in a direction toward the lighter end of trailer 60. Obviously the locking means which includes the latch 38 is disposed upon one end of the bolster plate I6 oppositey to that end of the platform 24 having pulley wheels 56 thereon.

After the platform 24 and the trailer 58 have been raised to a position clearing hopper 62, the entire assembly is swung to a position shown by full lines in Fig. 2. Standard I2 is then lowered until the platform 24comes to rest at one end thereof on the wall forming ythe pit I0 and the pulley wheels 56 move into engagement with the respective tracks 54. The latch 38 is then released by removal of key 48 and swinging the latch 38 out of engagement with the projection 44 on platform 24. The standard I2 isthen again caused to be raised and because of such action, the platform 24 and the trailer El) will tip to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing where the material 64 will freely flow from trailer 68 and upon the conveyor 58. It is notable that during this last raising action, the platform 24 is free to tip on a horizontal axis through the bolts 32. These bolts 32 are positioned to dispose this horizontal tipping action substantially central with respect to platform 24 and perpendicularto the vertical axis of the standard I2. As the plat# 4 form 24 and the trailer 60 are raised and as tipping occurs, the rollers 56 will ride along and remain in engagement with the tracks 54. Since these rollers 56 remain in engagement with the tracks 54 due to the heavier portion of trailer 60 being adjacent to rollers 56, the tipping actionis entirely automatic when the standard I2 is raised. By the samev token the rollers 56 will return to the starting position on tracks'4 56 when the entire assembly is lowered to reverse the cycle of operation just described.

It is clear from the foregoing that grain or the like may be easily and quickly dumped from trailers cr other transportingI vehicles through the use of the device just described, and such vehicles may be aligned with the conveying means for the grain with little diiculty. Manifestly many changes and modifications may be made in the hydraulic lift andv dumping device forming the subject matter of this application and it is therefore desired to be limited only by the spirit of the invention and 'scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A lifting and dumping device of the kind set forth comprising a platform adapted to support a vehicle or the like to be lifted and dumped with the greatest portion of the combined weight of said vehicle and platform near one end of the platform; a vertically reciprocable standard, said platform being carried by the standard for longitudinal tilting movement on a horizontal axis; and means for movably supporting said one end of the platform as the platform tilts in response to upward movement of the standard said means including parts engageable with said one end of the platform for holding the latter against swinging movement on the reciprocable axis of the standard as the platform is tilted. I

2. A lifting and dumping device of the kind set forth comprising a platform adapted to support a vehicle or the like to be lifted and dumped with thegreatest portion of the weight of said vehicle near'one end of the platform; a vertically reciprocable standard, said platform being carried by .the standard for longitudinal tilting movement on a horizontal axis; means for supporting said one end of the platform as the platform tilts in response to upward movement of the standard, said platform being swingable on the vertical axis of said standard to permit alignment of said one end of the platform with the said supporting means; and locking means on the standard movable to and from a position overlying the opposite end of the platform for holding the platform against tilting as the platform and vehicle thereon are vswung into alignment with the supporting means.

3. A lifting device comprising a rotatable platform adapted to support a vehicle to be lifted and dumped with the center of weight of the vehicle and the platform near one end thereof; a vertically reciprocable standard, said platform being swingably mounted on the standard for longitudinal tilting on a horizontal axis; and locking structure for holding the platform against tilting as the platform and vehicle thereon are swung, said structure including a, member swingably mountedon the standard, a portion of said member overlying Vthe opposite end of the yplatform, and akey releasably joining the member and theY standard for holding said member Number against movement out of engagement with said platform.

ELMER C. SMALL.

Name Date 668,461 Schroederl et a1. Feb. 19, 1901 Number Number Name Date Church Jan. 5, 1926 Paine Nov. 8, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 28, 1920 Great Britain Oct. 8, 1925 Germany Mar. 31, 1923 

